Prior art weapon bench rests have included generally immovable structures for supporting a weapon during aiming and firing. Where the weapon is being fired in a firing range, there is usually a series of weapon rests each positioned in front of its respective target and incorporated into a larger, bulkier supporting structure such as a wall or barrier. Another environment of use is a shooting gallery common in amusement parks; there, the weapon is pivotally secured to some type of vertical means of support so that the weapon may be swiveled in a wide variety of directions to track a moving target. This same type of swiveling action is common to stands used for military automatic submachine guns. A very different environment is presented while hunting wild game, making it unfeasible to transport a bulky support structure in order to have the benefit of a field weapon rest. Accordingly, choices are limited while hunting in the field, either the bough of a tree, a stump, or the hand of the hunter must be employed to steady the aim taken on the target.
The above weapon rests did not usually allow the weapon to be fired from a level position, such as when the barrel of a rifle is parallel to the ground. This limitation resulted in the weapon being used as a lever while taking aim, that is to say that the weapon support was used as a fulcrum while the marksman raised or lowered the stock of the weapon in order to align the sight with the target. Hence, the discharge end of the weapon was either pointing up or down toward the target, creating more problems of accuracy than would a weapon which was oriented parallel to the ground. There is a need for a portable and easily positioned weapon rest.